Surface chemistry and nonadecanoic acid adsorbate layers on TiO2(100) surfaces prepared at ambient conditions

Abstract The surface and adsorbate chemistry of the TiO 2 (100) surface prepared at high temperatures and ambient conditions were studied by means of angle resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (AR-XPS), Low Energy Electron Diffraction (LEED) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) based nanoshaving studies. The TiO 2 (100) surface shows a 1 × 1 structure with a 1 × 3 superstructure assigned to surface defects. A significant hydroxide surface concentration was revealed by means of AR-XPS measurements. The adsorbate formation of nonadecanoic acid (NDCA) from ethanolic solution led to disordered sub-monolayer surface coverage. The weak interaction between the carboxylic acid group and the TiO 2 surface is assumed to be a combination of the neutral to acid behavior of the TiO 2 surface and the stable hydroxide surface layer created under ambient conditions.